Firesong
by kitten skysong
Summary: Wheeler has been keeping a secret from the others. When it's discovery puts him in danger can the his friends rescue him before it's too late. Indications of sexual abuse


Firesong

The wind was blowing through my hair as I shifted my weight on the board of my wind surfer to better catch the breeze. I was not in a particularly good mood. Actually, I was in an incredibly bad mood.

It didn't matter what I did or how hard I tried, the girl I was in love with simply didn't love me back. I couldn't understand it. Today had been the worst; she had laughed when I asked her out! Actually laughed at me!

Okay, so I had never been completely honest with her and maybe on some level Linka sensed my lie. A lie by omission after all is still a lie. But then none of my fellow Planeteers knew the truth. Not them and not Captain Planet. Gaia knew, though. Being the spirit of the Earth, she knew a lot more than she let on.

Maybe I could tell Linka the truth. Maybe she could handle it. A shudder ran through my body at the thought. I felt the growl rising in my throat and fought it back. My eyes shifted for the briefest second then the mask I wore – the semblance of humanity – was back in place.

For as long as I could remember, it had been like this. One of my earliest memories was my father shaking me. Telling me to act normal or else he and mom would lose me for good. My mother begging me not to do anything that would bring the bad men who hunted my kind down on our heads.

I learned to hide what I could do, and only used enough of my abilities to win a fight now and then or getting the gangs in Brooklyn to leave me alone. It was a constant chore not to let the rage run through me.

"Wheeler," a voice said. I looked up as I wadded the rest of the way to the shore. Linka was standing, her blonde hair blowing in a breeze. I wasn't sure how long she'd been standing there. I didn't really care anymore.

"What do you want?" I actually growled the words out. She took a step back, a shocked look on her face. "Seriously, What? You going to laugh at me again?"

"I-" she started.

"You know what? Forget it! I'm done, Linka. I've had it. After all of these months, I have had it. You win. I won't be asking you out anymore. So why don't you leave me alone with my broken heart?" I shoved my hands in my pockets and strode down the beach of Hope Island, just wanting time to be alone.

It was not to be. An hour later and the whole group was sent to New York. Not for once because of an Eco-villain running amok. Believe me, they do run amok an awful lot. But this trip was made rather for a bit of fun. There was going to be a tree planting ceremony in Central Park and Gaia thought we could use the fun.

Fun? Riiiight! I couldn't even start to think about having fun when my heart had finally been shattered into a million pieces. I tried not to think about this messed-up situation while I stared intently out the window of the Geo-cruiser and tried to ignore the palpable silence from Linka.

"Wheeler?" Ma-ti leaned over the back of his seat and eyed me critically. "Is something the matter?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I muttered crossly. Which wasn't really fair. It wasn't his fault Linka and I hadn'tworked out.

He studied me for several seconds with a pensive frown. I never really know where I stand with Ma-ti. Granted, he is the youngest of our small team, but his power gives him an insight that even those older than him seem to lack.

He glanced back to Linka who was staring out her own window with the same intensity as I had been staring out mine. "Are you and Linka fighting?" Ma-ti's point blank question made me whirl around to glare. It was not like him to be so blunt.

"I don't want to talk about it." I ground the words out through gritted teeth, fighting my instinct to snarl at him. Ma-ti made a humming noise and sat back in his seat. Great! Just perfect! Now he knew Linka and I had been fighting. One of these days I was going to have to talk to him about privacy.

Kwame set the Geo-cruiser down in a vacant lot a few blocks away from Central Park. "We have a few hours before the ceremony starts."

Together, the five of us climbed out and looked at the city skyline. We had already known we would arrive early and each of us had made our own plans. The girls were going to hit Bloomingdale's. Why? I didn't know. Sometimes Gi and Linka could be such girls.

Kwame wanted to spend the time in the park and Ma-ti was going to join him. As for me, I had no real plans, but I did need a haircut so I was going to tag along with GI and Linka. It was going to be awkward since I was still pissed at Linka and she was still upset with me.

As we stepped away from the cruiser, Gi caught my am. "Whatever the two of you do, don't make me the monkey in the middle." I glanced at Linka who shrugged, indicating she had no idea what Gi meant either.

"What?" I asked yanking my arm back and folding it across my chest.

"Do not expect me to be a go-between. You two need to work out whatever is bothering you." With that Gi walked on ahead leaving me and Linka to follow.

The next hour was actually painful. Gi & Linka shopped and I got my hair cut, but Linka and I managed to avoid talking to each other by simply maintaining stony silences unless asked a direct question. It was no wonder that Gi called it quits and decided to head to the ceremony early.

We had just entered Central Park, when something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. A large rat, human sized charged towards me. I was angry and for a split second forgot I had to be careful, had even forgotten that Gi and Linka were watching.

I jumped straight up nearly six feet back flip and landed in a crouch in front of the rat demon Verminous Skumm and snarled. He smirked at me. Actually smirked, I couldn't believe it. "What do you want?"

"Nothing," he looked over my shoulder at Linka and chuckled before turning and vanishing into the city. I swallowed hard and turned to face the others. Fortunately, I was saved by the bell.

Or rather a bullhorn that was announcing the start of the ceremony. For a while no one asked any questions. I knew though that it was only a matter of time before the questions were going to begin. Sure enough as soon we were in the Geo-cruiser, Gi turned on me. "What was that?"

"Adrenaline," I announced, using an excuse that had worked countless times. "I was startled."

"Wheeler, no one jumps six feet in the air even when they're startled." Kwame narrowed his eyes at me. "How did you do that?"

"Maybe he has springs in his shoes?" Linka was staring at me in rapt fascination, something that even a day earlier I would have been glad to see. Now, though, it just irritated me. "He does not have to say if he doesn't want to."

That was it. Now, I had really had it. The way I figured it at the moment was, 'in for a penny in for a pound.' "You know what, Linka? Why don't you fuck off?"

There was a shocked silence, broken only by Linka's gasp of surprise. "What?" her voice broke on the question.

"You think I'm cool now because I jumped six feet in the air?" Now I really was snarling each word coming out a growl. "Do you think THIS is cool, too?" With those words, I let what I always called my feral face out.

My eyes shifted from brown to golden. They actually looked like cat's eyes. I snarled and let the anger work itself out into almost a full roar. I couldn't roar, though. Some ferals can, but the best I can do is snarl and hiss.

Linka's eyes widened not in fear, but wonder. I couldn't believe it! I had just yelled and snarled at her. I had proven to her I wasn't even human and now she liked me? "I have got to get out of here," I muttered. I threw open the door and looked down.

"Wheeler, we are several feet in the air," Ma-ti pointed out. I looked down at the rooftops just below and smiled. I knew my limits and the Geo-cruiser was below my limit, as long as I timed it right.

"Not a problem" With that, I jumped. I hit the top of a building with a thud and rolled. Then I jumped again to a tree and climbed down the branches, dropping the last foot to a crouch on the ground. For a moment I stood watching the Geo-cruiser, wondering if I had just ruined everything.

Wheeler, we'll come back here and get you in a few hours I told the others you need a break, Ma-ti's voice gentle as always in my head.

"Tell Linka that I'm sorry." I responded shoving my hands into my pockets. I didn't wait for confirmation of what I asked. I turned and ran into Central Park. It felt good to run, usually I didn't let go this much.

I finally stopped on the other side of the park and leaned against a tree. I was considering my options, which were not many. I couldn't go home. Dad was sick and besides he didn't want me there. I had probably ruined my chances of staying a Planeteer completely, but going back to Hope Island was my best chance.

I pushed away from the tree and zipped up my jacket. The air had turned chilly. It would be a while before I had to meet the others and a cup of hot chocolate sounded like the thing. I had been so wrapped up in my problems that I hadn't noticed someone was following me.

There was a sharp pain in the side of my arm, almost as if I had been stung by a bee. I reached and pulled out a dart. For a second, I just stared at it. I couldn't comprehend what it had been doing in my arm, then both the drug and my panic began to kick in.

I bolted for the end of the park as quickly as I could I had to get to where there were people. My legs felt like rubber and a second sharp pain told me another dart had hit home. MA-TI HELP! I mentally shouted to him. It was a desperate cry; a hope that he was still close enough to hear me and that they would come.

Unfortunately, the drug was making me light-headed and weak. I staggered and went down to one knee. Dimly I heard Ma-ti's response, Wheeler? We're going to call Captain Plan- I didn't hear the rest of it as darkness and the ground rushed up to claim me.

I woke to find myself sitting in a chair in the middle of a warehouse. My hands were cuffed to the armrests and no matter how much I tugged, I couldn't get loose. The back of my neck throbbed in a peculiar way, it felt as if something was penetrating it. Ma-ti? my thought was met with silence. Whereever I was, I was too far away for him to respond.

"Good, you're awake!" Dr. Blight, who I absolutely detest, leaned down and shone a light into my eyes. "I was beginning to think I had miscalculated the drug. You've been out for over twelve hours."

"Let me out of this chair, you bitch!" I snapped. I looked down at my hand. My ring was still on my finger. "Or I'll burn this place down."

"Oh, I plan on letting you out of that chair. Plunder's going to pay me a lot of money for you, my boy. The only Feral not afraid of fire." She grinned at me. I must have looked shocked, so she went on. "Skumm told us all about you, Wheeler, and if you're thinking of trying anything..."

She pointed a small device at me and hit a button. It felt as if every muscle in my body was on fire! I screamed in agony and thrashed around. I tried instinctively to get away from what was hurting me, even though I knew it was coming from the governor on the back of my neck.

I had heard of sub dermal governors – they were electronic implants that were used to control mutants – but had never had one on me. The part of me that wasn't screaming in agony was wondering how Blight had managed to get a hold of one of them. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the agony ended.

I sucked in my breath, trying to keep from crying. I was not going to give her the satisfaction of knowing I was terrified but in reality, I was more terrified than I had been in my whole life. Blight grabbed my hair, forcing my head back until we were eye to eye. "Do we have an understanding, then?"

"My friends will come," I said trying to hold back tears. There was no conviction in those words. I wanted to believe that my friends would come, but I had doubts. I hadn't been very nice to them the last time I had seen them.

"DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING?" she repeated, holding the remote in front of my eyes. Reluctantly, I nodded my assent. I was somewhat relieved when Blight slid the controls back into her pocket and unfastened the cuffs.

I rubbed my wrists where the handcuffs had chaffed them, wincing in pain. When Blight signaled me, I followed her. I was too scared to do anything else. My instinct was telling me to attack her, rip her heart of her black chest, but I was terrified of the pain that would happen to my body if I did.

We ended up on a plane less than an hour later. I actually managed a small nap during the flight, going over my options in my head. I couldn't come up with a single idea. I kept trying to reach Ma-ti, but had gotten nothing but a blank on that end.

After the cool weather from where we had been, the desert heat made me wince. I pulled my jacket off as I followed my captor into a waiting limousine. I knew from the scenery that we were probably somewhere in Africa, though I wasn't a hundred percent sure where.

I stared out the window, fighting the tears that were threatening to come. I refused to let Blight see me cry. My mind was rushing. In less than an hour, I was going to be sold. Sold as if I was a car, a house, a book… a thing. "I'm not for sale," I growled.

"You are if I say you are," Blight snapped. The car pulled up in front of a large compound. I stared at it for a moment. Of all of the Eco-villains, Looten Plunder has always scared me the most. He always emitted a scent that reminded me of a cat in heat.

Plunder was sitting in a room that caused me to stop, my jaw agape in wonder. I had never seen so many dead animals in one room. Heads were mounted on walls and fur rugs on the floor and couches. I swallowed hard, biting my lip. If the other Planeteers could see this place, they would be outraged.

Plunder rose from the large armchair he was sitting in. He circled me as if I was one of his trophies. I leveled a fierce glare. Every time I attempted to use my Feral abilities, pain shot through me. I obviously didn't dare use my ring.

"I first heard about your kind over a year ago," he said softly to me. "I've been trying to acquire a Feral since then. Your kind are hard to come by, between the GSA and that outlaw group Mutant X stealing all of you. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought I'd get a former Planeteer for my Feral."

"I am still a Planeteer," I managed to say through gritted teeth. Plunder's response was a delighted laugh. He patted my head as if I was an amusing dog and moved away from me. He picked up a briefcase and handed it to Blight.

I watched her check the money then stride out of the room. I'd just been sold. Oh, how I regretted jumping out of the Geo-cruiser the day before. I was in big trouble and there was no one to help me. I had no one to blame for this situation but myself.

Plunder took me on a tour of the facility, which he said was a center for his hunting empire. He shot and stuffed them then sold them. The fence around the perimeter was almost twenty foot high. I could have scaled it easily if I hadn't had the sub dermal governor implanted on the back of my neck.

"Like my kingdom?" Plunder asked from behind me. I looked at him and shook my head no. When he stepped closer, I stepped away from him, my heart pounding so hard I was sure he could hear it. "Wheeler, you belong to me. Get used to it!"

I barely heard him. I was staring at the sky where I had seen the Geo-cruiser come into view. They had come after all! I couldn't believe it! They had come! I had no idea how they found me nor did I even really care. I only cared that they had come!

The sound of the large gun made me start. Plunder chuckled next to me as smoke blazed from the wing of the Geo-cruiser. "No!" I yelled. I grabbed the fence and started climbing. I didn't get very far before Plunder activated my governor.

When he finally turned it off, I used the fence to claw myself to my feet. I clung to it and watched as my friends climbed out of the Geo-cruiser. They were alive! I heaved a sigh of relief only to realize there was not going to be any rescue.

Plunder was not going to let me go and I doubted if he would even let me use my ring. Without my ring, the others couldn't call Cap. "Wheeler, are you alright?" Linka asked as she came to the fence. She reached through and I grabbed her hand.

"I'm fine," I lied through my teeth. I was shaking from head to toe with adrenaline and a single tear fell from my eye. It was followed by yet another. I was crying ,something I had not done in years.

"Get rid of them!" Plunder spoke in a commanding tone. I swallowed hard, wondering how it had come to this.

"He is coming with us!" Linka shouted and turned to face him defiantly.

"What do you want with him? He's a freak!" Plunder shot back.

"He is our freak! Now give him back!" She didn't back down and by now Gi, Ma-ti and Kwame were standing beside her nodding in agreement.

"Captain Planet will get you out," Kwame reassured me though I wasn't reassured. "Let our powers combine! Earth!"

"If you call Captain Planet, I'll turn Wheeler's governor on and leave it on," Plunder snapped.

I felt my heart leap into my throat. I couldn't handle it if he turned the governor on again so soon after the last time. "Linka, I'm sorry," I whispered. She looked at me wide-eyed, a look of sudden realization crossing her face.

I looked away for a moment at Plunder. "I need my powers."

Plunder regarded me for a moment then hit a button on the remote. I felt better than I had since Blight had drugged me. Linka was tugging at me trying to free her hand from the grip I held it in. "I'm sorry," I repeated.

I yanked her arm, slamming her into the fence. At the same time, I twisted her arm and the snap of breaking bone was like a gunshot. Linka's shrill scream of pain made the others stare in horror. I pushed against her and she fell away from the fence cradling her broken arm.

Deliberately, I turned my back on her and the others. I stood, hands clenched at my side forcing myself not to hear Linka's whimpers or Kwame's shouts of anger. I closed my ears to them, but I couldn't help the tears that continued to stream down my face.

"Heart," Ma-ti's whisper cut through all of it, silencing the other Planeteers and even Plunder's diabolical chuckles. I waited for the touch of his mind, when it came with the silent question of why. I let him see, told him silently about the gouvoner and the pain it caused.

I spoke one last time out loud. "I don't work with you guys anymore. Get used to it!"

At Plunder's signal, I followed him inside.

The room Plunder locked me in was luxurious, with a huge bed with blankets and pillows galore. It had a large window looking out towards the beautiful sunset. I barely saw it, though. The first thing I had done was close the curtain.

For a split second, I had considered the window. Its access connected my powers to the others. That was, if Ma-ti had convinced the other three I was worth saving. Plunder had dashed that hope, though, because the room was covered in hidden cameras.

So I did nothing. I just sat on the floor cross-legged, waiting for something to happen. Wheeler? Ma-ti's voice in my head was a shock. We have a plan, but we have wait for sunrise. You have to get Plunder to come out when its light out.

I let out a sigh. I should have known they wouldn't give up. Well, we'll see what dawn bought, although I was not hopeful in the least that whatever plan they had come up with would succeed. Yet I knew I'd try anything for my freedom from this hell I had found myself in.

I'll try I thought back.

I felt Ma-ti's power turn off like a door slamming. I had thought I was used to the telepathic communication and its sudden end. Usually it didn't bother me but this time I felt so alone, even in my own head. I wanted that contact with my friends, slim though it was.

I wanted to be on Hope Island listening to Gaia tell a story... anything rather than this room and the waiting for what was going to happen. What I knew was going to happen and couldn't stop.

The sound of the door opening was not as loud as the pounding of my heart in my chest. For a minute, Plunder just stared at me with a leer on his face. The dread which had been building up in me all day was now at a fever pitch. I did not want to think about what was going to happen.

I backed up until I hit the far wall, then stood trembling in fear. Plunder laughed softly and walked past me into the attached bathroom. He came out in a robe and spoke in a low voice, "Get undressed and in bed."

"No." I clenched my fists and glared. "You can't make me do it. I'll never get into that bed."

This time he turned the governor on and left it on until I almost blacked out. I was simply too weak to fight back when he picked me up and threw me on the bed. Not to say I didn't try to fight back, but every time I made any real effort, back on the governor went.

In the end, it just seemed easier to lay and accept what was happening. On the inside, I stormed and raged. I shut my mind to the act, letting Plunder use me like he wanted. My body responded even as I tried to deny what was happening.

I think I passed out at some point, because the next thing I knew I was coming slowly awake blinking in the sun that poured through the window. I was alone in the bed, with Plunder nowhere to be seen.

For a minute, I didn't dare move. I was hurting in places I hadn't known it was possible to hurt in. I finally rolled off of the bed and staggered to the bathroom. I put the shower on as hot as it would go and stood in it for a long time, the water mingling with my tears.

Wheeler? Are you alright? Ma-ti's mental voice caught me by surprise. I slammed mental walls down. I didn't want to talk to him. I'd get Plunder outside even if it killed me, but I didn't want Ma-ti in my head right now.

I dressed slowly. My clothes were torn to near shreds during the last nights struggle, so I put on the ones Plunder had lain out. They were mostly leather and not my style at all. I always preferred t-shirts and blue jeans.

I left the room and found Plunder eating breakfast. "Can I go outside?" I managed to not meet his eyes by looking at my feet. I heard rather than saw him put his fork down. I'd beg if I had to, but I really was tired of begging.

"Not alone," he spoke in a soft voice. "I can't risk you calling Captain Planet with those friends of yours, but I could go with you if I get something in return. How about you don't fight me tonight?"

I felt myself going hot then cold at the prospect. I considered it. On one hand if the Planeteers plan worked, then I wouldn't be here tonight. If it didn't, then it wouldn't matter. I had already decided if rescue didn't come this morning I would be dead by noon. I could not, would not live like this: powerless to stop Plunder from using me as he had the night before.

"You're the boss." I felt the words leave my lips and wished I could take them back. How I hated the man for making me feel so helpless!

Plunder and I stepped out into the morning sun, blinking in the bright sunshine. I shaded my eyes and peered out across the sage brush in the direction the Geo-cruiser had been. It was gone, but I knew they were still nearby.

A green beam of light shot into the air. Kwame had started to summon Cap. I had to add my power to his so the girls and Ma-ti could add theirs. I looked down at my hand and swallowed. This was their plan?

"You wanted out here so you could link up with them?" Plunder fairly roared at me.

I turned to protest, but he already had the remote in his hand. "No, please! I'll be good promise!" Something brown and furry hit Plunder's hand sinking teeth into it, forcing him to drop it and scream in pain. "Souchie?"

There was no hesitation. In fear and desperation, I whirled around in the direction Kwame's beam and come from. "FIRE!" The word was a scream of desperation. I saw the other beams join up. It was over! Cap would see to that.

The pain hit me like a fist, driving me to my knees. Plunder had gotten the remote back. I would have screamed if I could have, but I was so tired. Everything went black for a moment. When my vision cleared, I was sitting against a wall with a concerned Captain Planet peering into my eyes.

"Wheeler?"

I tried to answer. I groaned, rolled to one side and was violently ill. My insides heaved and shook until nothing was left. Finally, I looked up shakily. Plunder was in a makeshift cage nearby and I couldn't help a snarl at the sight of him.

"Wheeler, it's over. Come on. I'm taking you to the Geo-cruiser"

"C-can't," I whispered through chattering teeth. "I messed everything up. They don't want me back. Not after what I did!"

Cap knelt down in front of me until his eyes were level with mine. Despite the fact I was close to the ground. "If they don't want you, then what am I doing here?"

I let myself feel a bit of hope. It was true! The only way Cap could come out of the place he slept deep in the Earth was if all five of the rings had been used to call him. I definitely could not have done it on my own. The others had to want to rescue me!

"Okay." I held my hands up. When Cap bent over, I wrapped them around his neck. We flew to another location close by and he set me gently on my feet. The other Planeteers were sitting around the remains of a makeshift fire.

Linka looked up first and let out a cry of delight. Seconds later, I found myself being hugged by eight arms. "You're all right!" Linka's tears wet my shirt. I managed to hug her back while trying to breathe.

"Guys," I managed with a laugh. "Come on, it's me! I'm always all right when I have friends who care like you do! Let's go home. To Hope Island."

A week later

I sit on the beach on Hope Island thinking of all that had happened to me. The others knew my secret and accepted me, although I had to keep reminding Ma-Ti that I was not actually his pet cat.

Things were better between me and Linka. We were not actually dating but she let me hold her hand on occasion and I was content with that. The only thing was I was not happy and yet couldn't say why.

Yet I was home and safe. For now that was going to have to be enough.


End file.
